OPDC: Six counties account for bulk of Oregonunrepresented cases; commission proposes contract rule changes and staffing surge

Jessica Campe, executive director of the Oregon Public Defense Commission, told the House Committee on Judiciary on March 5 that six Oregon counties account for the majority of defendants who appear in court without appointed counsel and set out near-term contract and staffing changes the agency is pursuing to reduce the number of unrepresented people.

Campe said those six counties account for about 95% of all unrepresented cases and about 85% of unrepresented in-custody cases. She described county-by-county drivers that include lawyer deserts, high turnover, difficulties accessing clients and county-specific court case-assignment processes.

The figures show where to focus limited resources, Campe said. "We have seen that the unrepresented population in Oregon really does exist primarily in six counties," she told the committee. "Armed with that knowledge, we have been taking a closer look at what is happening in those six counties to be able to target solutions for those communities."

Why it matters: People charged with crimes who lack lawyers can face detention, plea pressure and delayed resolution; the commission says its mix of data-driven contracting, a trial division and temporary hourly pay programs are intended to prevent people from being released for lack of counsel under a Ninth Circuit precedent the commission described to the committee.

What the commission reported

- Counties identified: Multnomah, Jackson, Marion, Washington, Douglas and Coos. Campe said those six counties account for the overwhelming share of unrepresented defendants statewide.

- Multnomah County: Campe said high hiring and departure rates among contracted lawyers are contributing to the…